Central

Dance — a source of empowerment

Educator and choreographer Carolyn Russell-Smith (centre) on stage with children and adult dancers. (PHOTOS: COURTESY OF KHULCHA THEATRE SCHOOL OF DANCE)

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Through the Khulcha Theatre School of Dance, which she has operated for 26 years, choreographer and educator Carolyn Russell-Smith says that she is using her craft as a source of empowerment. "A lot of persons underestimate the power of the arts. We are a school (that ... Read More

Claudette Parker at her office in Mandeville as she prepares to travel back to Portmore at the end of another work day. JCSA one-woman team in South Central Jamaica
Mandeville, Manchester — Since the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) opened its doors i ... Read More

State Minister for Transport and Works Richard Azan (4th right) and member of parliament for South Manchester Michael Peart (2nd left) led an inspection tour of the Old Porus road recently. Once rehabilitation work on the road is completed it will serve as an alternate route for the main road through Porus. 'This is not a race track'
PORUS, Manchester — With $24.5 million being pumped into repairing the Old Porus road to make ... Read More

Pastor Bancroft Barwise and wife Hyacinth. Barwise ordained for pastoral ministry
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Accountant and Seventh-day Adventist Church administrator, Bancroft B ... Read More

10-hour prayer session for Ja this Friday in Manchester

Monday, January 26, 2015    

Jamaicans praying at a church on New Year’s Eve, 2014. About 4,000 members of more than 105 churches across the island are expected to gather at Kendal Camp and Conference Centre, Manchester on Friday in a 10-hour prayer session for Jamaica.

APPROXIMATELY 4,000 members of more than 105 churches across the island are expected to gather at Kendal Camp and Conference Centre, Manchester on Friday in a 10-hour prayer session for Jamaica. The National Healing The Land All-Night All-Parish Prayer and Strategic Intercessory Conference is scheduled to begin at 8:00 pm. The event is being organised by Prayer 2000, an inter-denominational partnership prayer ministry, which says it was "created and mandated by the Lord to sufficiently raise t ... Read More

FOR YOUR DIARY

Monday, January 26, 2015    

“Dynamic Expressions” danced by the teens.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29 (10:00 AM) Jamaica Agricultural Society Half Yearly Meeting Wesleyan Methodist Church Hall Mandeville SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1 (12 NOON) Just Imagine Hair Design and Day Spa Grand Gala Opening Hargreaves Medical Complex Mandeville SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 (7:00 PM) Awthentik Expressions Play: Tying the Knot Cecil Charlton Hall Mandeville THURSDAY, MARCH 12 (9:00 AM) St Elizabeth 4-H Clubs Youth & Family Expo BB Coke High St Elizabeth TUESDAYS (5:45 PM) Weekl ... Read More

Additional sports field for Holmwood

Monday, January 26, 2015    

(L)Minister with Responsibility for Sport, Natalie Neita Headley & (R)Member of Parliament for North East Manchester Audley Shaw

CHRISTIANA, Manchester — The Government is to undertake development of an additional sports field at Holmwood Technical High School in Christiana, Manchester at a cost of $10 million, according to the State-run Jamaica information Service (JIS). Minister with Responsibility for Sport, Natalie Neita Headley, who made the announcement during a recent visit to Holmwood, said the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) will fund the facility's development, to be executed under the Government's H ... Read More

PUMA/JAAA meet a success, says Pat Anderson

Monday, January 26, 2015    

Jauavney James of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) was a star performer at the 23rd staging of the Puma/JAAA Charlie Fuller meet at Kirkvine recently. James was responsible for two of four records set at the meet. He won the 800m in two minutes, 03.70 seconds and returned to take the 400m in 50.70 seconds. Photo shows James leading the pack at the halfway point in the 800 metres. (PHOTO: EVERARD OWEN)

Mandeville, Manchester — Pat Anderson, chairman of the organising committee of the recent PUMA/JAAA Charlie Fuller meet at Kirkvine is a satisfied man. Anderson told Observer Central that he was very happy with how the meet turned out in terms of performances, participation and organisation. "Everything was good," he said. "We had over 80 schools, including many new schools and over 1600 athletes," he said. Young athletes from schools in south central Jamaica -- all preparing for the IS ... Read More

Jamalco takes earthquake awareness to schools

Monday, January 26, 2015    

Students at Frankfield Primary & Infant School take cover under a desk during an earthquake awareness session at the school.

MAY PEN, Clarendon — More than 700 students from schools in Jamalco's (bauxite mining/alumina processing) operating areas in Clarendon and Manchester benefited from an earthquake awareness seminar recently, according to a news release. The schools are Frankfield Primary and Infant, Rest Primary and Junior High, Gravel Hill and Milk River Primary schools. The session was organized by Jamalco in conjunction with the Clarendon and Manchester parish councils' disaster management coordinators. ... Read More

Mining communities must benefit from bauxite/alumina revival, say MPs

BY GARFIELD MYERS Editor-at-large South Central Bureau myersg@jamaicaobserver.com | Sunday, January 18, 2015    

Long distance view of the pier at Port Kaiser

SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth -- They are happy that bauxite mining is about to resume and that the Alpart (alumina) plant in Nain which has been closed since 2009 is to be reopened in 2016. However, parliamentarians Michael Peart and Richard Parchment who represent communities most affected in neighbouring South Manchester and South-Eastern St Elizabeth want to make sure that this time around those areas get maximum benefits from bauxite mining and alumina refining. They told the Sunday Observer t ... Read More

Manchester councillors want urgent action to oust secretary/manager

BY ALICIA SUTHERLAND Observer staff reporter sutherlanda@jamaicaobserver.com | Wednesday, January 14, 2015    

Manchester Parish Council Secretary/Manager David Parkes.

MANDEVILLE, Manchester — An unresolved no-confidence vote in October to remove secretary/manager David Parkes at the Manchester Parish Council was a top concern at the first meeting for the New Year last Thursday. An apology was tendered for Parkes' absence due to illness. However, some councillors insisted that they were not prepared to continue working with him. They said the process for Parkes to be removed should not be delayed much longer. Councillor Donovan Mitchell (PNP, Royal Fl ... Read More

Cooperation between police and residents paying dividends

Monday, January 12, 2015    

After troubling times in recent years, the community of Comfort in central Manchester is off to a peaceful start in 2015 thanks to close cooperation between citizens and the police. (PHOTO: GREGORY BENNETT)

Mandeville, Manchester — Residents of Comfort in central Manchester had reason for quiet satisfaction late last week. For the second year running, there were no murders in their community in the first few days of the New Year. For several years previously, Comfort had to deal with at least one so-called “anniversary killing” early in the New Year driving fear in the hearts of residents. They say the change for the better and indeed the return of a strong sense of law and ord ... Read More

RM Burchenson lauded

BY ALICIA SUTHERLAND Observer staff reporter | Monday, January 12, 2015    

Mandeville Courthouse staff with Burchenson

MANDEVILLE,  Manchester — After serving Manchester since 1998, Resident Magistrate Oswald Burchenson embarked on his retirement at the end of 2014 . An appreciation and farewell ceremony at the Golf View Hotel gave community leaders, members of the legal fraternity and other well-wishers a chance to show their gratitude for Burchenson’s legacy, which they deemed “unmatched”. Justice Marva McDonald Bishop said Burchenson helped her to understand that when making jud ... Read More

New Year's Eve Mandeville

Monday, January 12, 2015    

Watchnight service, at First Assembly of God Church on Newleigh Road

Mandeville, Manchester — Coconut Kabana New Year's Eve Ball at the Ingleside Badminton Club and Pool was among the high energy spots in this south central parish as 2014 faded into 2015. Organised by Coconut Tree and Jahnai productions, the event was tagged as one of the celebratory activities for Manchester, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary. “We were supportive of the main events that took place in the parish (and) we wanted to help to celebrate in a different way,&rdquo ... Read More



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